Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Typhoon
Ty-phoon′
,Noun.
[Earlier
tuffoon
, tuffon
, Pg. tufão
, Ar. tufān
a violent storm; probably fr. Gr. τυφῶν
, τυφῶς
, a violent whirlwind, that rushes upward from the earth, whirling clouds of dust (cf. Typhus
); or perhaps from Chin. t’ai-fung
a cyclonic wind.] A violent whirlwind; specifically, a violent whirlwind occurring in the Chinese seas.